Draft regulating mechanism



Feb. 10, 1942. H. LANGE ETAL DRAFT REGULATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 19, 1938 (Ittomeg Patented Feb. 10, 1942 DRAFT REGULATING MECHANISM Henry Lange and Frederick G. Suchland, Quincy, Ill., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Walker Manufacturing and Sales Corporation, St. Joseph, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application December 19, 1938, Serial No. 246,664

7 Claims.

Our invention relates to improvements in draft regulating mechanisms, adaptable for regulating the draft in smoke pipes of stoves, furnaces and the like.

One of the objects of our invention is the provision of a novel draft regulating mechanism, particularly adapted for use with flues of strong draft, in which means are provided for manually regulating the draft in the smoke pipe, combined with novel pressure indicating means for guiding the operator in making such manual regulation, and for automatically retaining thedraft constant after such manual regulation regardless of fluctuations of flue draft due to atmospheric conditions.

Another object of our invention is the provision of a novel draft regulating mechanism of th kind described, which is simple, cheap to construct, strong, durable, not likely to get out of order, and which is efficient in its operation.

The novel features of our invention are hereinafter'fully described and claimed.

' In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the preferred embodiment of our invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of our improved draft regulating mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, showing the manually operated damper in fully open position, and the pointer indicating on the dial a high draft pressure.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the manually operated damper partly closed, and the pointer indicating on the dial a medium draft pressure.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view, showing the pointer indicating a low draft pressure.

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the mechanism. 1 Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the vane damper and the pointer.

Similar characters of reference designate similar parts in the different views.

I designates the body of a T joint of pipe, and 2 the lateral tubular arm, the opening or passage therethrough of which communicates, as usual with the interior of the body I and the outside air.

In the pipe I, above the tubular arm 2 is pro- I vided the usual manually operated damper 3. In the outer end of the tubular arm 2 is fitted a ring 4, in which is pivoted on a horizontal transverse axis 5 a disk-like vane or damper 6, the axis of which is disposed above the horizontal plane of the center of the damper, whereby the latter will be swung inwardly and outwardly by differences in draft pressure at its opposite sides, so as to more or less close the opening or passage through the tubular arm 2.

Below the tubular arm 2, and fastened thereto and to the body I is a quadrant shaped dial 1, having graduations 8 respectively designated by the terms Too low, Low, Med.,? High and Too high, such terms designating different draft pressures. I

For indicating on the dial 1 the draft pressures in the pipe I, a pointer 9 is attached at its upper end to a weight I0 fastened to the inner side of the damper vane 6, below the axis thereof. The pointer 9 extends through a longitudinal slot II in the lower side of the tubular arm 2, and the lower end of the pointer is disposed at the side of the dial on which are the graduations 8, which the pointer 9 consecutively indicates, as the damper vane 6 is swung. As shown, the ring 4 having pivoted in it the vane 6 which carries the pointer 9, forms with the vane and pointer an integral structure which is insertible in the tubular arm 2 as a unit, thus affording a saving in time in installing these parts in their operative positions.

In operation, the lower portion of the damper vane 6, having a greater area than that portion above its axis, the draft in the pipe l-will cause the outside air pressure to swing inwardly at its lower end the damper vane 6 from a closed to an open position, an amount depending on the outside air pressure, the damper 3 being wide open, as shown in Fig. 2.

If the flue pressure is very strong, the damper 3, being wide open, thedamper vane 6 will swing to the graduation designating Too high, as shown in Fig. 2. The operator then turns the damper 3 toward the closed position. If the day 'is cold, and a high draft pressure is desired in closed still further, upon which the damper vane 6 will-swing still closer to the closed position, and

- the pointer will indicate Low pressure on the dial 1. v

To whateverposition the damper 3 is adjusted, the damper vane 6 will afterwards keep constant the draft on the furnace automatically. As the fluctuations in the flue draft occur, the differences in pressure at opposite sides of the damper vane 6 will swing the latter toward and from inlet in the ring 4 were entirely unobstructed,

the flue draft through the furnace-would be en tirely too strong in mild weather, and the furnace heat would be too great. In such case, the vane would be insufiicient to properly control the draft. By providing in the pipe I the damper 3, the latter can be turned to so reduce the flue draft that the vane would swing to the Medium, or Low position, as may be desired to suit the weather at the time, after which the vane would automatically retain the flue draft to the desired reduced strength. In colder weather, the damper 3 could be opened more to get the increased draft desired, and the vane would retain the draft at such reduced pressure. The pipe damper 3, therefore, is an important element in the structure where the draft of the flue is a very strong one.

Many modifications of our invention, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention.

What we claim is:

1. In a draft regulating mechanism, the combination with a draft pipe having an opening communicating with the interior of the pipe and the outside air, a damper in said pipe, and a vane in said opening operable by differences in pressure at opposite sides thereof, of means designating different draft pressures, and means actuated by said vane for indicating on said pressure designating means the draft pressure in said pipe at the time, said damperin said pipe being between said opening and the draft discharge end of said pipe, and being manually adjustable until said indicating means registers with the desired draft designation on said designating means, said vane then operating to maintain said designated draft.

2. In a draft regulating mechanism, the combination with a draft pipe having an opening communicating with the interior of said pipe and the outside air, a damper in said pipe, and a vane in said opening operable by differences in pressure at opposite sides thereof, of a dial carried by said pipe having thereon designations of different draft pressures, and a pointer carried by said vane and disposed so as to indicate on said dial the draft pressure at the time in said pipe, said damper. in said pipe being between said opening and the discharge end of said pipe, and being manually. adjustable until said pointer registers with the desired draft designation on said dial, said vane then operating to maintain said designated draft.

3. In a draft regulating mechanism,v the combination with a draft pipe having an opening communicating with the interior of said pipeand the outside air, a damper in said pipe between said opening and the discharge end of said pipe, and a vane in said opening operable by differences in pressure, at opposite sides thereof, of means designating different draft pressures, and means carried by said vane for indicating on said pressure designating means the draft pressure in said pipe at the time, said damper in said pipe being manually adjustable until said indicating means registers with the desired draft designation on said designating means, said vane then operating to maintain said designated draft.

4. In a draft regulating mechanism, the combination with a pipe joint having a lateral tubular arm communicating with the interior of the joint and with the outside air, said arm having a slot, of a damper in said joint, a ring fitted in said arm, a vane pivoted in said ring operable by differences in' pressure at opposite sides thereof, means carried by said joint designating different draft pressures, and a pointer carried by said vane at one side of the axis thereof and extending through said slot for indicating on said designating means the draft pressure in said pipe joint at the time.

5. In a draft regulating mechanism, the combination with a draft pipe having a lateral tubular arm communicating with the interior of said pipe and with the outer air, said arm having a longitudinal slot, of a ring fitted in said arm, a vane pivoted on a transverse axis in said ring and operable by differences in pressure at opposite sides of said vane, means carried by said pipe adjacent to said slot designating different draft pressures in said pipe, and a pointer carried by said vane and extending through said slot and cooperating with said designating means for indicating draft pressures in said pipe, said ring, vane and pointer being united in an integral structure adapted for insertion as a unit into operative position in said arm.

6. In a draft regulating mechanism, the combination with a draft pipe having a lateral tubular arm communicating with the interior of said pipe and with the outer air, a draft responsive damper in said arm, means pivoting said damper on a transverse axis, means carried by said pipe designating different draft pressures, means actuated by said damper for indicating on said draft designating means the draft pressure in said pipe, and a manually adjustable damper mounted in said pipe between said arm and the discharge end of said pipe, said manually adjustable damper being adjustable until said inclicating means indicates on said draft designatingmeans the desired draft, said draft responsive damper then operating to maintain said draft.

'7. In a draft regulating mechanism, the combination with a furnace draft flue having an air relief opening, a damper supporting means mounted at said opening, a draft responsive damper pivotably mounted on said supporting means in said opening, a dial plate attached to said flue and having thereon designations in terms of draft, an indicator carried by said damper and cooperating with said dial plate to indicate the draft, and a manually adjustable damper mounted in said flue between said air relief opening and the discharge end of said flue, said manually adjustable damper being adjustable until said indicator registers with the desired draft designation on said dial plate, said draft responsive damper then operating to maintain said draft.

HENRY LANGE. FREDERICK G. SUCHLAND. 

